Believe Survivors: Be That Person.

A Statement from Patti Giggans, Executive Director / CEO of POV on the Epstein Survivor Press Conference

The Jeffrey Epstein survivors press conference is a powerful message: victim/survivors’ testimonies matter. They must be heard, not silenced. They must be believed, not dismissed. The bravery of these 100+ survivors – many of them abused while they were children/minors – will now be subjected to more attacks, castigations and humiliations. We must be vigilant and not succumb to disinformation campaigns. All survivors deserve respect. 

Started in Los Angeles, Peace Over Violence is the first dual sexual and domestic violence agency in the country. For more than 53 years, POV has served survivors, breaking through the shame and silence that surrounds sexual violence and encouraging the paths to healing. We know the courage it takes to tell that story — and the healing that begins when someone listens.

If you are a survivor, we encourage you: tell one trusted person. And to all of us — be that person. The one who listens. The one who believes. The one who supports. The one who stands beside survivors with compassion and without judgment. POV’s 24/7 hotline is available: our skillful and compassionate staff and volunteers are ready to listen and receive your story with an open heart.  

We are part of a national network and movement that has grown over five decades on the truths told by survivors and organizations built by survivors themselves. Every day, POV provides critical services to our communities: a 24/7 crisis hotline, counseling, legal advocacy, housing assistance, and prevention programs including POV’s international Denim Day, the longest running sexual violence prevention education campaign in history. 

Your support ensures that survivors are not silenced — that their voices are amplified, their stories honored, and their healing possible. That is what we provide to every survivor who comes through our doors or calls our hotline.

Consider making a gift today — one-time or recurring — to ensure in these very challenging times POV’s programs survive and thrive. 

Patti Giggans, Executive Director/CEO